A digital mammogram image represents an image of a breast. The digital mammogram image is used to detect and diagnose breast cancer. Detection of breast cancer can be defined as demonstrating presence of breast cancer using the digital mammogram image. Diagnosis of breast cancer can be defined as confirming the presence of breast cancer using the digital mammogram image. Often, tiny granules of calcium deposits are seen in the digital mammogram image. Various parameters of calcium deposits, for example, shape, size, and compactness are used to demonstrate the presence of breast cancer. Micro-calcifications are calcium deposits that are small in size, having irregular shapes, and appear compact in nature in regions of the breast. It is noted that the presence of the micro-calcifications of a certain size, shape and spatial distribution is an indication of breast cancer.
In existing techniques, there is low contrast difference between the micro-calcifications and surroundings in the digital mammogram image. Moreover, the micro-calcifications appear in different sizes and shapes making identification of the micro-calcifications inaccurate.